Dragon Takes a Walk on the Wild Side

Our principal distributor confirmed today that Dragon is once again hard at work developing plans for a line of 1:35 scale pre-assembled military vehicles. The Company first released a series of 1:35 scale tanks and self-propelled artillery some 15 years ago, which primarily catered to collectors interested in larger sized military models they could display straight out of the box. Back then, the range primarily consisted of WWII-era German tanks, most notably King Tigers, Tigers, Panthers and Elefants, along with several versions of the Karl Gerat self-propelled mortar. Most of the vehicles sold for between $80-$100, so its a good bet this new range — possibly consisting of the same batch of vehicles — will command much higher prices at retail. Composed of plastic rather than diecast metal, the original group of vehicles was well received and were even supplemented by a Cyber Hobby Tiger I heavy tank that commanded an even higher premium.

From what we understand, the first vehicles slated for release will come out in 2025 and may include tanks from other nations and possibly subjects from other military eras. In effect, what you see in their 1:72 scale subjects will likely get the nod to be included in their all-new 1:35 scale line. Given their penchant for Abrams tanks, for instance, its a safe bet that the vehicle — which has undergone numerous upgrades over the last fifteen years — will get tapped at some point to join the 1:35 scale military parade.

Dragon’s upcoming 1:35 scale range will certainly come as excellent news to those collectors who have been abandoned by Minichamps long forgotten 1:35 scale all-metal series as well as Forces of Valor collectors who have been stymied by Waltersons’ seemingly hush-hush short- and long term plans. Whether or not a $200 price tag for each new product is acceptable is anyone’s guess.

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Forces of Valor Steps up to the Microphone

After laying low for several months, and still trying to figure out why they are having issues correctly shipping out orders to their retailing network, Waltersons has finally re-surfaced to share some news with us about upcoming projects. Apparently, a large re-stock shipment is expected to reach our shores in July, filled — according to their literature — with all sorts of relatively new items they ran out of earlier this year. According to the manufacturer, the following items will reportedly return-to-stock this summer:

1:32 scale US M24 Chaffee Light Tank

1:32 scale GMC 2-1/2-ton Trucks

1:48 scale USMC Bell AH-1W “Whiskey” Super Cobra Attack Helicopter

1:700 scale US Battleship Missouri (full hull)

1:700 scale German Battleship Bismarck (full hull)

1:32 scale German Initial Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – Hauptmann Herbert Oehme, “White 100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 502, Leningrad, Russia, February 1943

1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – Lt. Vermehren, “Alwin”, “121”, 1/schwere Panzerabteilung 501, Panzerarmee Afrika, Tunisia, 1943

1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “Red 100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Kursk, Russia, July 1943

1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “Red 100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Kursk, Russia, July 1943

1:32 scale US M4A3(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Training Vehicle, C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, New York, 1943

1:32 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Sgt. Daniel “Buttons” Cardell, “Julia”, 761st Tank Battalion “Black Panthers”, Task Force Rhine, Germany, 1945

1:32 scale US M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Assault Tank with VVSS Suspension – Lieutenant Charles Boggess, “Cobra King”, C Company, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Bastogne, Belgium, December 26th, 1944

Also expected are the following new items that have been shown on their web site for well over a year:

1:72 scale USMC AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopter

1:700 scale HMS Invincible aircraft carrier (full hull and waterline)

To be perfectly honest, we will believe all this when we see it, based upon their past performance and mishandling numerous issues. Moreover, nothing was mentioned regarding new product in the pipeline even though we are quickly looking at the back half of 2024 and the all-important holiday season. To be blunt, they’re still having trouble getting their ducks in a row, one year after they acquired Greenlight Collectibles. Moreover, the sales sheet sent to us fails to include information about their upcoming 1:72 scale F4 Phantom II and F/A-18 Hornet aircraft, nor does it talk about any of the 1:64 scale military vehicles supposedly hitting the streets. So, if you plan to place orders for any of the items Waltersons says are expected in July, please do so with a grain of salt and understand we have no control over the situation nor do we guarantee that said items will actually materialize this summer. Its been an exercise in frustration that we wish was finally addressed to everyone’s satisfaction

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Legion Clamors into the Cockpit of the Mustang

Looking to add more allied fighters to its growing aircraft inventory, Legion announced that they will soon be releasing no less than five different North American P-51B Mustang fighters. Expected later this summer, all five of the models are based upon celebrated aces, running the gamut from Don Gentile to James Howard.

Each model features optional position landing gear, a spinning propeller, historically accurate markings and insignia and a display stand. The quintet of new aircraft have been listed on our website and we are now accepting pre-orders.

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Cyber Hobby Returns to the Battlefield

Cyber Hobby German Mid Production Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. H Medium Tank with Schurzen Side Skirts – “Red 624” [Snowy Exterior]

Years ago, when Dragon Armor was at the height of its popularity, we imported a sister line of 1:72 scale armor dubbed Cyber Hobby. Said line featured upscale packaging, limited edition collector cards and oftentimes was based upon vehicles tied to famous tank commanders such as Michael Wittmann and Otto Carius.

Today we learned that some of the latest Cyber Hobby releases will soon be available in the North American market, although supplies will be extremely limited. So limited that we doubt we will be able to list them on several of the after market retail sites we typically use to help promote our product portfolio.

Four vehicles are supposedly going to be made available in this initial batch – two based upon the Panzer IV Ausf J medium tank and another pair based upon the Panzer Ausf. H. We’ve listed the quartet of vehicles under the Cyber Hobby sub section found within our Dragon Armor category. Again, these products will be sold on a first come, first served basis. We’re not certain if the newest Cyber Hobby products will be sold using the same marketing materials as in the past including the limited edition collector cards and metal tins we alluded to earlier. As a guess, they will probably be sold in the black cardboard packaging Dragon has been using for its Neo Dragon Armor line and the vehicles may require some minor assembly work to complete the build.

One final thought. We may have to allocate the Cyber Hobby products should pre-orders exceed our expectations, all in an effort to be fair to as many of our customers as possible. So please don’t get upset if we have to pare down your order once we get a handle as to how many we will need to complete our orders. Also, just because we will be getting these four vehicles does not necessarily mean we will be receiving and selling the entire series henceforth since availability is largely determined by both the manufacturer and our distributor.

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Anatomy of War: The Bradley Gets an Upgrade

As we get set to head off for a well-deserved vacation, we noticed that the US Army unveiled the latest iteration of its Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Dubbed the M2A4E1, the newest variant boasts a wide array of enhancements that are designed to make it more lethal, survivable and mobile on today’s battlefield. There’s a good chance that many of the upgrades discussed in the accompanying video will be incorporated into the upcoming M10 Booker armored fighting vehicle, a lighter and more maneuverable combat tank than the M1 Abrams. The Bradley, which was named after General of the Army Omar Bradley, has served the US Army well for over four decades, first entering service way back in 1981. Over the years, it has been continuously upgraded and reconfigured, all in an effort to keep it current with the latest technological advancements achieved by DARPA.

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Panzerkampf Almost Gets it Right

Interest has been steadily building ahead of the release of Panzerkampf’s set of MH-60 helicopters that pay tribute to the men and machines that took part in Operation Gothic Serpent — a military operation conducted in Mogadishu, Somalia, by an American force code-named Task Force Ranger during the Somali Civil War in 1993. While the models have been painstakingly researched and replicated, and even the rotor blades have been re-worked to make them less brittle to the touch, the manufacturer seems to have gotten the colors a tad incorrect. Instead of a flat black exterior, each of the forthcoming helos boast a slightly greenish hue, as shown in most of their preview photos.

As many of you know, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, better known as the “Night Stalkers”, fly under the darkest of night time conditions, oftentimes during a new moon when there is no ambient light that can be cast down upon them to reveal their whereabouts and ultimate intent. So, while the manufacturer almost got it right with their insignia, markings and other significant details, they scored a near miss when it comes to getting the colors spot on. Please bear this in mind if you plan to order any of these soon-to-be-released choppers as we are giving you fair warning well ahead of their arrival, something the 160th SOAR doesn’t ordinarily do to their unwitting opponents.

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The Forces of Valor Update: Comes the Destroyer

Hinted at a few years ago, Forces of Valor has finally unveiled details concerning their upcoming 1:32 scale Ferdinand tank destroyer. Like their Sturmtiger rocket assault mortar, the Ferdinand will feature a removable superstructure so that collectors can peer inside the vehicle and even monkey around with the vehicle’s ammunition, its stowage racks and other pertinent details they ordinarily wouldn’t get to see had the superstructure remained in a fixed position. According to their literature, the Ferdinand will come with two crewmen although neither figure was shown in the preview pictures. It also appears as if the vehicle will not come with removable engines that we assumed would come inside the package and have become a hallmark of the series. As a guess, they were omitted to keep the final cost of the item down to below a manageable price point.

On the downside, it seems as though the Ferdinand will come with a hefty price tag – $189.99, well above either of their previously released Sturmtigers or any of their other 1:32 scale armored fighting vehicles. Interestingly, only a couple of hundred vehicles are being built for each major market and, if their information proves correct, is pegged for a late summer release, perhaps in conjunction with several other new products.

At the recently concluded China Hobby Show, the Company also showed off the next Tiger I heavy tank, which we believe will hit the diecast battlefield as early as this summer. We haven’t listed it for pre-sale just yet as we are awaiting details concerning which unit it severed with and if the retail price has gone through a similar uptick in cost. So, for now, we’ve opened the pre-order window for the Ferdinand and will unveil their newest Tiger I as soon as information is passed along to us.

On a completely separate topic, a collector posted an image of a 1:32 scale US M60A1 Patton tank in what we are calling older Unimax packaging that carries the Green Light Collectibles logo on its front exterior facing.

We are assuming that Green Light is bringing back some of the old Unimax favorites as a means of bolstering their line up and will, presumably, offer these vehicles at a lower cost than their traditional Forces of Valor series. We’ve asked the manufacturer for clarification and hope to get an answer back after we return from vacation towards the second week of May.

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Corgi Turns Back the Hands of Time to D-Day

Earlier today, Corgi revealed their May through August 2024 new aircraft introductions, the bulk of which have something to do with the D-Day landings of June 1944. We’ve listed most of the latest models discussed in the accompanying video and have opened the pre-order window accordingly. Bear in mind product photos have yet to be provided by the manufacturer so we are guessing that they are still a few months out from hitting the streets. Enjoy!

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Product Spotlight: A Necessary Evil

The Martin B-26 Marauder was one of the most controversial American combat aircraft of the Second World War. It was primarily used in Europe, and was in fact numerically the most important USAAF medium bomber used in that theatre of action. However, on four occasions, investigation boards had met to decide if the development and production of the Marauder should continue. The Marauder survived all attempts to remove it from service, and by 1944, the B-26s of the US 9th Air Force had the lowest loss rate on operational missions of any American aircraft in the European theatre, reaching a point less than one half of one percent.

Despite its high landing speed of 130 mph, which remained essentially unchanged throughout the entire production career of the B-26 in spite of numerous modifications made to reduce it, the Marauder had no really vicious flying characteristics and its single-engine performance was actually fairly good. Although at one time the B-26 was considered so dangerous an aircraft that aircrews tried to avoid getting assigned to Marauder-equipped units and civilian ferry crews actually refused to fly B-26s, it turned out that the Marauder could be safely flown if crews were adequately trained and knew what they were doing. It nevertheless did demand somewhat of a higher standard of training from its crews than did its stablemate, the B-25 Mitchell. However, once mastered, the B-26 offered a level of operational immunity to its crews unmatched by any other aircraft in its class.

A total of 5157 B-26 Marauders were built. Although on paper the B-26 was a more advanced aircraft than its stablemate, the North American B-25 Mitchell, it was built in much fewer numbers because it was more expensive to manufacture and had a higher accident rate.

Martin B-26B-15-MA Marauder 41-31576/AN-Z ‘Dinah Might’, was given the important task of leading an anti-beach fortification raid against Widerstandsnest 5 (which means ‘nest of resistance’, or ‘strongpoint’) overlooking Utah beach. The raid happened only a couple of minutes before the landing craft released their troops on their assigned beaches on D-Day itself, one of the final missions to take place before the landings.

Flown by Major David Dewhurst, the experienced Commander of the 553rd Bomb Squadron, US 8th Air Force, this was one final opportunity to neutralize German defensive fortifications, therefore giving Allied troops a better chance of making it off their assigned landing beach in the terrifying hours to come.

Dewhurst’s aircraft, which was named ‘Dinah Might’ after a Bing Crosby tune of the day, released its bombs at exactly 06.24.30 on D-Day, with navigation and timing critical to the success of the mission and the safety of the men waiting to make their historic seaborne assault.

The details behind this final bombing raid of D-Day clearly illustrate why the Utah Beach D-Day Museum elected to finish their preserved Marauder in this historic scheme and why it forms such a poignant center piece for their impressive museum.

‘Dinah Might’s’ target on that fateful morning in June 1944 was only meters from where this magnificent preserved aircraft is displayed today, even though it’s actually only a representation of that famous wartime aircraft.

“Dinah Might” pays homage to the men and machines that fought to seize a foothold on the European mainland that fateful June, and is expected to take wing later this spring.

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Product Spotlight: When the Valiant Fall

Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – “Man ‘O War II”, 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England, November 1944

The 323rd Bombardment squadron was first activated on April 15th, 1942, at Harding Field as the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, one of the three original bombardment squadrons of the 91st Bombardment Group. It was equipped with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. It completed First Phase training at MacDill Field under Third Air Force, with Second and Third Phase training at Walla Walla Army Air Field under Second Air Force in Washington. The squadron’s ground echelon left for Fort Dix in early September 1942, then boarded the RMS Queen Mary for transport to England. The air echelon moved to Gowen Field, Idaho on August 24th, 1942, and began receiving new B-17s there. It began flying them from Dow Field, Maine in September, although it was not fully equipped with new aircraft until October.

The ground echelon was established temporarily at RAF Kimbolton by September 13th, 1942. However, the runways at Kimbolton were not up to handling heavy bombers, and the unit moved to what would be its permanent station in the European Theater of Operations, RAF Bassingbourn, on October 14th, 1942. Bassingbourn had been a prewar Royal Air Force station, so the squadron found itself in more comfortable quarters than most of its contemporaries. The squadron primarily engaged in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, and flew its first mission on November 7th, an attack against submarine pens at Brest, France.

Until the middle of 1943, The squadron concentrated its attacks on naval targets, including submarine pens, dockyards, ship construction facilities and harbors, although it also struck airfields, factories, and communications facilities. On January 27th, 1943, the unit attacked the Kriegsmarine yard at Wilhelmshaven as part of the first penetration by bombers of VIII Bomber Command to a target in Germany. On March 4th, 1943, it attacked marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany despite adverse weather and heavy enemy opposition. For this action, it was awarded its first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

From the middle of 1943 to the end of the war, the squadron concentrated on attacks on German aviation, including attacks on aircraft factories, including ones at Oranienburg and Brussels; airfields at Oldenburg and Villacoublay; the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt; chemical plants at Leverkusen and Peenemunde; and industrial facilities in Ludwigshafen, Frankfurt am Main and Wilhemshaven. As part of this attack on the German aircraft industry, on January 11th, the squadron penetrated into central Germany, despite bad weather, poor fighter cover, and strong attacks by enemy interceptor aircraft, the unit succeeded in bombing its target, earning a second DUC.

The squadron also performed interdiction and air support missions. It helped prepare for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by bombing gun emplacements and troop concentrations near the beachhead area. It aided Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo, in July 1944 by attacking enemy troop positions. It supported troops on the front lines near Caen in August 1944 and attacked lines of communications near the battlefield during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. It attacked airfields, bridges, and railroads to support Operation Lumberjack, the push across the Rhine in Germany, in 1945.

Following V-E Day, the squadron evacuated prisoners of war from German camps. The first B-17 left Bassingbourn for the United States on May 27th, 1945. The ground echelon sailed aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth on June 24th, 1945. The squadron was reestablished at Drew Field, Florida in early July, with the intention of deploying it to the Pacific, but it was not fully manned or equipped, and inactivated on November 7th, 1945.

With Masters of the Air now having reached its inevitable conclusion, “Man ‘O War II” stands an awesome tribute to the men and machines of the US Army Air Force, the 8th Air Force, and their death-defying daylight bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe during the Second World War.

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